Lasting machine



Oct. 14, 1952 1-. P. COURCHENE LASTING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 9, 1949 llllllli l'nvenlar Theodore 1? Courchene Oct. 14, 1952 T. P. COURCHENE 2,613,376

LASTING MACHINE Filed April 9, 1949 4 sheets-sheet 2 Fig 2 Inven for Theodore fiCourchene Oct. 14, 1952 1-. P. COURCHENE 2,613,376

LASTING MACHINE Filed April 9, 1949 4 Sheets-Sheet s Irwen for Theodor-e PC'ou r'chene Oct. 14, 1952 T. P. COURCHENE 2,613,376

- LASTING MACHINE Filed April 9, 1949 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 ii Inventor Theodor-e PCourc/zene Patented Oct. 14, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LAS'YIING MACHINE Theodore P. Courchene, Beverly, Mass., assignor to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Flemington, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application April 9, 1949, Serial No; 86,425

11 Claims.

This invention relates to lasting machines, and is here shown as applied to a machine constructed generally as disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 1,8'43 232, granted on February 2,1932 on an application of B. Jorgensens. It is to be understoodhowever, that the invention is not limited to use "a machine organization of that particular character.

Machines such as shown in the above-mentioned Letters Patentare frequently -used for lasting tennis shoes-er the like which arecommonly made on al lasts and in the lasting of which the uppers a e' secured to the insoles along the shank portions of." the latter as well as in other locations by "adl-lesion.v In such a machine a shoe ispositioned; bottom upward and is-opcrater-i upon by side-lasting mechanisms which wipethe upper upwardly over the sides of the last in response to downward movement. of the last. These side-lasting;.nikechanismsinclude lasting. fingers which. acts-thereafter through, flexible straps to lay the marginal portion of the upper inwardly over the insole and to press it downon. the insole. i- To insure that the opposite: side. edgesiof the insole along its shank portion will be i rr-p'roper positions on the bottom of the last for theupper thus to be laid inward ly over; them, thema'chi'neis commonly provided with a shank holddown In making some shoes? of the above-mentioned class it is the practica to:v use so-called cookie insoles. The, main characteristic of such an insole is that ithas at the inner side of its shank portion a lateral-. extension arranged to overlap a portion, ,of.qthe=.inner side face of the last. The insole-, moreoyer, may include a layer of comparatively thin or flimsy material projectingbeyond other firmer portions thereof at the inner side of the shank.- A particular object of thepresent. invention isto provide improved meansffor controlling the shank portion .of such an insole in the: lasting. operation. To this end, the construction vher n. shown includes means for engaging the la 1. extension at the inner side of the. shank portion of the insole and for holdingit close to the side face of the last until such time as. it is roperly controlled by the sidesl'asting means; More particularly, as herein illustrated, the machine is provided with a shank holddown comprising a pair of blocks having. insole-engaging faces which are concave \vidthwise oi, the last for pressing the shank pore tion. or the insole down on the bottom of the last, the blocks being so constructed and arranged that one of them will hold thelateral extension of the insoleclose: to the inner side face of a right last and other will similarly control 2 I the extension of the insole on a left last. Mounted on the blocks are fingers so arranged that one of them will press agains the. side-of the last the projecting margin of the compare;- tively thin layer of the insole of, a right shoe and the other that of a left shoe if the insole has such a layer. The fingers are so controlled as to permit either of them to be moved yieldingly widthwise of the shoe by the action of the, last thereon as the holddown is applied to the shoe. In the construction shown the holddown. is moved downwardly by a treadle thus to apply it to the shoe prior to the starting of the power operation of the machine, and it is held bya pawl in fixed relation to the shoe as the shoe is thereafter moved downward relatively to the side-lasting mechanisms to cause the latter, to perform the upwiping operation on the upper. Whenthe shoe has been moved so far downward that the side-lasting mechanism at the inner side of the shoe, acting through the upper, will itself hold the lateral extension of the insole against the last, the pawl automatically releases the holddown and the latter is moved upwardly away from the shoe by a spring to permit the marginal portion of the upper thereafter to be laid inwardly over the insole by the sidelasting mechanisms.

The novel features of the invention, including various novel details of construction and combinations of parts, will now be more particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings and thereafter pointed out in the claims.

.In the drawings, A t Fig. 1 is a view in front elevation of the upper portion of the machine in which the invention is herein shown as embodied, with parts broken away Fig. 2 is a plan. View of a portion of the machine;

Fig. 3 is a view of a portion of the machine partly in elevation and partly in section, looking toward the. left with reference to Figs. 1 and 2 and showing the parts as they appear after the holddown has been applied to the shank portion of the insole but before the side-lasting mechanisms have been moved inwardly into engagem'ent with the shoe; Figs. 4 and 5 are views similar to Fig 3 of a portion of the structure, showing the positions of the parts at different times in the operation of the machine; r

Fig. 6 is a plan view of one form of cookie insole; and

"Fig, '7 is a section on the line vn-yii of Fig. 61'.

In view of the disclosure in the above-mentioned Letters Patent, only such portions of the machine as it is necessary to refer to for an understanding of the invention will be herein described in detail.

The shoe is supported bottom upward for the operation of the machine thereon by a vertically movable slide 2 which carries a last pin 4 arranged to extend upward into the spindle hole in the heel end of the last. The machine includes mechanisms which need not be described for lasting the toe and heel ends of the shoe, and also a pair of opposite side-lasting mechanisms 6 hereinafter described. These side-lasting mechanisms serve to last the shank portion of the shoe and are thereafter moved lengthwise of the shoe in the direction of its toe end and then serve to last the ball portion of the shoe. Near the beginning of the cycle of operations 'the shoe is moved downward with the slide 2 relatively to the side-lasting mechanisms by a heel presser foot 8 (Fig. 2) engaging the bottom of its heel end and a toe presser foot ll] engaging the bottom of its toe end to cause the side-lasting mechanisms to wipe the upper heightwise of the last. The toe presser foot is carried by an arm l2 which the operator swings forwardly by means of a handle l4 to position the presser foot over the shoe and to start the cycle of operations. The shoe is thus moved downward against the resistance of a spring l6 underlying the slide 2 and also against the resistance of a downwardly yieldable toe rest (not shown) under its toe end.

Each of the opposite side-lasting mechanisms 6 includes a casing 18 mounted to swing toward and from the shoe on a rod 20 which is movable to carry the mechanism lengthwise of the shoe toward its toe end after the lasting of the shank portion of the shoe. Mounted to swing about each rod 28 within the casing l8is an arm 22 arranged to control a plurality of sets of lasting devices, preferably four in number. Each of two of these sets of lasting devices comprises a strap 24 of flexible material, preferably leather, arranged to extend heightwise of the shoe and outwardly over a lasting finger 26 supported on the arm 22 and extending generally widthwise of the shoe. The other two sets of devices have in common a single strap 28 (Fig. 2) similarly arranged relatively to two such lasting fingers. Each set of devices further includes a side presser comprising an arm 30 pivotally mounted at 32 on the casing 18 to swing widthwise of the shoe and having pivotally mounted at 34 on its upper end a block 36 arranged to press the flexible strap 24 or 28 against the shoe, the lower end of the strap being fastened to the block. Two of the arms 30 are engaged by pins 38, only one of which is shown, these pins being slidingly mounted in the casing l8 and controlled by springs 39 which tend to swing the upper ends of the arms inwardly toward the shoe.

when there is no shoe in the machine are determined by a plate 40 fast on the casing l8 and engaging fingers 42 on the arms. For similarly controlling the other two arms 30 of each sidelasting mechanism there are provided springs 44, only one of which is shown, connected to the casing l8 and to fingers 46 on these arms, these fingers also engaging the plate 40 to limit swinging movements of the arms under the influence of the springs. It will thus be evident that when the side-lasting mechanisms are moved inwardly The limits of such inward swinging movements of the arms 4 against the sides of the shoe the blocks 36 adjust themselves to the shoe and upon further movements of the casings l8 press the straps yieldingly against the sides of the shoe under the influence of the springs 39 and 44.

Each of the lasting fingers 26 has therein a slot 48, and through the slots in the several fingers of each side-lasting mechanism extends a rod 50 carried by a holder 52 fast on the arm 22. Slidingly mounted in each finger and extending into the slot 48 is a spring-pressed pin 54 engaging the rod '50 and through which the arm 22 acts to force the finger yieldingly inward over the bottom of the shoe to lay the margin of the upper over the insole. The straps 24 and 28 are connected at their upper ends by screws 56 to blocks 58 slidingly movable in guideways in the fingers 26, the screws extending through slots in the fingers. Controlling the blocks 58 are springs 60 which are yieldable to permit the fingers to slide along the straps as they are moved inwardly over the bottom of the shoe. Underlying each of the fingers 26 is a spring-pressed plunger 62 which is mounted in the holder 52 and tends to swing the finger upwardly about the rod 50, thus maintaining the corresponding strap in a tight condition.

Connected to the two casings l8 and tending to swing them inwardly toward the shoe is a spring 64 against the resistance of which they are held initially in their outermost positions by the arms 22. For this purpose each arm carries a stud 66 which projects through a slot 68 in the casing l8 and engages the casing at the outer end of the slot. For controlling and operating the arms 22 there are provided two toggle links 18 pivotally connected at their outer ends to the arms and pivotally and slidingly mounted at their inner ends on a rod 12. This rod is supported in the upper ends of a pair of arms of a downwardly extending link 14 (Figs. 1 and 3). By latch mechanism not herein shown but fully disclosed in the previously mentioned Letters Patent the link I4 is so controlled that initially the two links 10 are approximately in alinement, as shown in Fig. 3, thus holding the opposite sidelasting mechanism far enough apart for a shoe to be presented between them. By movement of a plunger 15 (Fig. 2), corresponding to the plunger 12 shown in the above-mentioned Letters Patent, this latch mechanism is movable by the op erator after he has presented the shoe to the machine to release the link 14 and thus to permit the casings I8 to be swung inwardly toward the shoe by the spring 64. In this manner the lasting straps 24 and 28 are carried inwardly against the sides of the shoe and are pressed yieldingly against the shoe by the action of the springs 39 and 44 on the arms 30, the shoe occupying at this time a comparatively high position relatively to the side-lasting mechanisms. Thereafter, near the beginning of the cycle of operations, the shoe is moved downward relatively to the side-lasting mechanisms in the manner hereinbefore described to cause the lasting straps to wipe the upper upwardly in the vicinity of the shank portion of the shoe. After su'chdownward movement of the shoe the link 14 is moved farther downwardly as disclosed in the above-mentioned Letters Patent to swing the arms 22 farther inwardly and thus to force the lasting fingers 26 inwardly over the bottom of the shoe to cause the fingers, acting through the straps 24 and 28, to lay the margin of the upper over the insole into position to adhere to the insole, a's illustrated in Fig. 5. his the fingers are thus'moved inwardly their inner ends are forced downward toward the bottom of the shoeagainst the "resistance of the plu'nge'r s -62 by the pull 'of the straps thereon, the springs B yielding to permit the fingers to move inwardly along the straps. Further to increase the pressure of the fingerson the margin of the upper, an extension I6 of each of the toggle links III is arranged to act through a sleeve 18 and a spring 80 to "move a device 82 upwardly into engagement with the outer end portions of the fingers and to tip the fingers about -the rod 50.

As thus far described the construction herei-n "shown may be "assumed to be substantially like that disclosed in the previouslymentionedLetters Patent. To adapt the machine for more satisfactory use in the lasting of shoes having "so-called cookie insoles, it is further con-- structed, for'purposes of the present invention, as will now be described. LA cookie insole a (Figs. 6 and "7) isprovided at the-inner'side of its shank portion with a lateral extension b arranged to overlap heightwise of the last a portion of the inner side 'face of the last. For use in tennis'shoes or the like such an'insole may, for example, have a main'body portion made of so-called rag stock, containing rubber, to which is cemented a comparatively thin 'or filmsy layer of fabric or other material 0 projecting beyond the firmer body portion at the inner side of the shank. An object of the invention is to provide means for holding the lateral extension at the inner side of the 'shankportion of the insole close to the inner side face of the last during a portion of the shank-lasting operation, so that the upper may be properly lasted over it. For the purpose in view there is secured to the vertically movable shoe support slide 2 an angular bracket 84 to which is fastened by a bolt 85, through an intermediate block 88, an upwardly extending guide 88 provided with a guideway for a vertically movable slide 98. The bolt 85 extends through a slot M in the bracket 84 to permit the guide 88 and the parts controlled thereby to be adjusted in directions lengthwise of the shoe. Secured to a horizontally extending upper end portion 92 of the slide 90 is a horizontal guide 94 having therein a guideway 96 for a forwardly and rear- Wardly movable slide 98. At its rear end the slide 98 has a downwardly extending portion I 88 on the lower face of which is formed a dovetailed rib I02 providing a straight guideway for a pair of block's I04, these blocks being adjustable toward or from each other by a screw I86 having right and left threads in engagement respectively with cooperating threads in the different blocks and having midway between its ends a knurled flange I88 extending into a recess in'the rib I82 to prevent lengthwise movement of the screw. The two blocks I 04 have lower faces concavely curved widthwise of the shoe to adapt the blocks to serve by engagement, with the shank portion of the insole as parts of a shank holddown, identified generally by the reference character I I0, for maintaining that portion of the insole in conformity to the contour of the bottom of the last during a portion of the shanklasting operation The insele-engaging portions of the blocks are arranged 'to extend widthwise and heightwise of the shoe to such positions that the block which is adjacent to the inner side of the shoe, in operating on a right shoe or a l'eft shoe, will engage the lateral extension I) (Fig. 6) of a cookie insole and bend it downward was to hold it close to the ciirved side face "of the last. The block "which :is at the same time adj acent to the outer side 'of the shoe extends outward a substantial distance beyond the edge or the insole. Further to bontrolthe'projecting 'rnar- 'gin b'f the thin layer c, if the insole has such a layer, the'r'e is -pivotally 'mounted'at II2 on each 'block I84 affinger 1 which extends downwardly beyond thebl'ock. A spring H 6 connected to both fiiige'rs tends'to swing them inwardly to- 'ward each other {and holds theminitiall'y against the outer side's of thelower'endip'ortions of the "blocks. it 'will be evident that when the holdfibw'n is applied to the insole that finger 114 which is adjacent to the-inner side of the 'last will engage the projecting margin of the thin.

"layer ahd hold it "against the side of the last. Itwill alsobe'evi'dent that when the holddown is applied to the shoe the finger thus actingat the inner side of the last mayswing'against the re- {sistance Of thE 'SDIiIlg I-FB to adjust itself to the last 'andinsole.

For m'oving the holddown II 0 downwardly in to engagement with the ins'ole there is provided a treadle H 8 lp'ivotally mounted at I20 "on the frame of the machine "and "connected to the vertically movable slide by a link I22. The "treadle is movable downwardly against the re-- sistance of a spring I21 which maintains "the holddown initially in an 'upraise'd position determined by a pin 12-3 on the slide 88 and a $101; I 25 in the guide '88. Initially, moreover, the holddownis ii'laintaine'd in ai'pdsition nearer the front 'o f tlie machine than whenit is "over the shoe, as shown inFig. *5. For this purpose there is provided a spring "I26 infthe form of a ribbon of spring steel which is connected at its rear end to a plate I 28 fast on the downwardly extending portionflllfl of the slide '88 and is connected at its 'front end to abolt I30 mounted 'in a plate I32 fast on the guide '95. The spring is partly 'c'o'iled around "the bolt I38, the coiled portion being enclosed by a circular casing I34 held by the bolt against the plate I32. Accordingly, the spring, because of the'tendency of its coiled por tron "to "expand, 't'er'ids t'o move the slide '98 in a f""-wa id direction and holds it initially in a position determined by "engagement "of the downwardly extending portion I00 with a shoulder I 36 (Fig. '5) on the guide 94. For moving the holddown rearwardly to a position over the shoe before it is moved'downwa'rdly by the treadle I I8 a handle I38 is mounted on the front end of the slide 98.

After the holddown has been moved downwardly into engagement with the insole it is held -agaii1'st upward movement by a pawl I48 which is pivotally mounted on the guide 88 and extends inwardly through a slot in the guide into position to engage ratchet teeth formed on a bar 1M carried by the vertically movable slide 88. A spring I44 holds the pawl normally in engageinent with the teeth. It will be evident that since the pawl M0 is mounted on the guide 88 which iscarried by the vertically movable shoe support slide 2, the guide 88 and the slide 98 are moved downward as a unit by the slide 2 when the shoe is moved downward relatively to the side-lasting mechanisms 6 as hereinbefore described. Ac-

eordingl'y the shank holddown I I!) is maintained in its insole-engaging position in the course of such downward movement of the shoe. Near the end of that movement, however," when the side lasting mechanism at the inner side of the shoe is in such relation to the shoe that, acting through the upper, it will hold the lateral extension atthe inner side of the shank portion of the insole against the side'of the last regardless of the shank holddown, the holddown is released by the pawl I40 to permit it to'bemoved quickly upward out of the way of the side-lasting mechanisms by the spring I24. For this purpose there is mounted on oneside of that casing I8 which is nearest the front of the machine a plate I48 into engagement with which a screw I48 mounted in a tail portion of the pawl I40 is carried by the downward movement of the guide 88. It will be understood that the upward movement of the holddown away from the shoe permits it also to be retracted in a forward direction bythe spring ent invention, will now be briefly summarized.

The operator mounts the last, with the upper and insole assembled thereon, on the last pin 4 of the shoe support slide 2 and on the toe rest (not shown), and by means of the handle I38 he then moves the slide 98 rearwardly'to position the shank holddown IIO over the shankportion of the insole. By depression of the treadle II8 he thereafter moves the holddown downwardly into engagement with-the insole as illustrated in Fig. 3. The two holddown blocks I04, by their engagement with the shank portion of the insole, serve to press it downwardly and to conform it to the contour of the corresponding portion of the bottom of the last. That block I04, moreover, which is adjacent to the inner side of the last serves to press against the curved.

side face of the last the main portion of the lateral extension at the inner side of the shank portion of the cookie insole, the finger I I4 thereon acting in that manner on the margin of the comparatively thin layer of the insole if the insole has such a layer. It will be noted that the spring II6 which controls the fingers H4 is engaged by the insole and assumes acurvature similar to that of the bottom of the shank portion of the last. Having thus been applied to the shoe, the holddown is held against upward movement by engagement of the pawl I40 on the guide 88 with the teeth of the bar I42 onthe slide 90.

Having applied the holddown as above described, the operator releases the opposite sidelasting mechanisms 6 in the manner hereinbefore explained, thus causing the spring 64 to swing these mechanisms inwardly into engagement with the opposite sides of the shoe below the shank portion of the shoe bottom, the location of such engagement on the inner side of the shoe being below the lateral extension of the insole. Thereafter he swings the arm I2 forwardly by the handle I4, thus starting the cycle of operations of the machine. Early in the cycle the shoe and the shoe support slide 2 are moved downwardly by'the' action of the presser feet 8 and I0 on the bottom of the shoe, thus causing the straps 24 of the side-lasting mechanisms to wipe the upper heightwise of the last. Fig. 4 illustrates the positions of the parts when the 'shoe has received a portion of its downward movement. It will be understood that since the guide 88 on which the pawl I40 is mounted is supported on the downwardly movable shoe support slide 2,the holddown H0 is moved downwardly with the shoe while maintaining the same relation to the insole, the treadle II8 being further lowered somewhat against the resistance of the spring I24. When the downward movement of the shoe is nearly completed the plate I46 engages the screw I48 and causes the pawl I40 to release the slide 90, whereupon the holddown is vmoved upwardly away from the shoe by the spring I24 and is moved forwardly to its initial position relatively to the guide 94 by the spring I26. When the holddown is thus withdrawn from the shoe the clamp blocks 36 at the inner side of the shoe are in such relation to the shoe that, acting through the straps 24 and the upper, they will hold the extension at the inner side of the shank portion of the insole against the side of the last independently of the holddown. As the operation of the machine continues the fingers 26 are operated to lay the opposite side margins of the upper inwardly over the insole and to press them down into positionsto adhere to the insole, as shown in Fig. 5. In the course of the cycle the machine further serves to last the other portions of the shoe in the manner disclosed in the previously mentioned Letters Patent.

' Having described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a lasting machine, means for lasting the shank portion of a shoe having an insole provided at the inner side of its shank portion with a lateral extension arranged to overlap a portion of the inner side face of the last, and means for engaging said lateral extension of the insole and for holding it close to the side face of the last during a portion of the shank-lasting operation, said last-named means including a member yieldingly movable in an outward direction widthwise of the last to adjust itself to theside face of the last.

2. In a lasting machine, means for lasting the shank portion of a shoe having an insole provided at the inner side of its shank portion with alateral extension arranged to overlap a portion of the inner side face of the last, and a holddown for pressing the shank portion of the in sole on the bottom of the last, said holddown comprising a pair of blocks slidingly adjustable rectilinearly toward or from each other and having insole-engaging faces concavely curved width- WlSe of the last, one of said blocks being constructed and arranged to hold. said lateral extension of the insole close to the side face of the last during a portion of the shank-lasting operation in operating on a right shoe and the other similarly to control said extension in operating on a left shoe, each block being arranged to eX- tend outwardly beyond the edge of the insole when engaging the insole adjacent to the outer side face of the last.

3. In a lasting machine, means for lasting the shank portion of a shoe having an insole provided at the inner side of its shank portion with a lateral extension arranged to overlap a portion of the inner side face of the last, and a, hold down for pressing the shank portion of the insole on the bottom of the last, said holddown including a block constructed and arranged to engage said lateral extension of the insole and thereby to hold said extension close to the side face of the last during a portion of the shank-lasting operation and a finger mounted on said block and yieldable laterally of the shoe in an outward direction for controlling the margin of said extension.

4. In a lasting machine, means for lasting the shank portion of a shoe having an insole provided at the inner side of its shank portion with a lateral extension arranged to overlap a portion of the inner side face of the last, a block constructed and arranged to engage the shank portion of the insole and to hold said lateral extension close to the side face of the last during a portion of the shank-lasting operation, a finger pivotally mounted on said block for movement laterally of the shoe, and a spring arranged to act on said finger to hold the margin of said extension against the last.

5. In a lasting machine, means for lasting the shank portion of a shoe having an insole provided at the inner side of its shank portion with a lateral extension arranged to overlap a portion of the inner side face of the last, said lasting means being arranged to engage the upper on the inner side of the last and to wipe the upper heightwise of the last over said lateral extension of the insole, a holddown device constructed and arranged to hold the shank portion of the insole against the bottom face of the last and to extend heightwise of the last beyond the bottom face thereof into position to hold the lateral extension of the insole against the side face of the last, said device being confined to engagement with the shank portion only of the insole, and means for maintaining said device in the same relation to the last heightwise thereof as the upper is thus wiped over said extension of the insole by the lasting means.

6. In a power-operated lasting machine, means for lasting the shank portion of a shoe having an insole provided at the inner side of its shank portion with a lateral extension arranged to overlap a portion of the inner side face of the last, a device movable heightwise of the shoe by the operator prior to the starting of the power operation of the machine into position to engage said lateral extension of the insole in a location opposite to the side face of the last and thereby to hold it against the last, and automatic means for withdrawing said device from operative position prior to the completion of the shank-lasting operation.

'7. In a power-operated lasting machine, means for lasting the shank portion of a shoe having an insole provided at the inner side of its shank portion with a lateral extension arranged to overlap a portion of the inner side face of the last, a holddown movable heightwise of the shoe by the operator prior to the starting of the power operation of the machine into position to press the shank portion of the insole on the bottom of the last, said holddown having means for engaging said lateral extension of the insole and for holding it against the side face of the last, a device for retaining the holddown in operative position, automatic means for causing said device to release the holddown at a predetermined time in the operation of the machine, and spring means for moving the holddown heightwise of the shoe away from the insole when it is thus released.

8. In a lasting machine, means for lasting the shank portion of a shoe having an insole provided at the inner side of its shank portion with a lateral extension arranged to overlap a portion of the inner side face of the last, said lasting means being arranged to engage the upper on the inner side of the last first in a location beyond said lateral extension of the insole and to wipe it heightwise of the last over said extension in response to movement of the last, and a holddown movable with the last for holding the shank portion of the insole against the bottom of the last, said holddown having means arranged to 10 extend heightwise of the last beyond the bottom face of the last and thereby to engage said extension of the insole and to hold it against the side face of the last until the last has been moved far enough for the extension to be thus held by said lasting means.

9. In a lasting machine, means for lasting the shank portion of a shoe having an insole provided at the inner side of its shank portion with a lateral extension arranged to overlap a portion of the inner side face of the last, a holddown movable heightwise of the shoe by the operator prior to the starting of the power operation of the machine into position to press the shank portion of the insole on the bottom of the last, said holddown including means for engaging said lateral extension of the insole and for holding it against the side face of the last, a device for retaining the holddown in operative position, a shoe support movable to carry the shoe heightwise with the holddown to cause the lasting means to wipe the upper heightwise of the last, means for causing said device to release the holddown in response to the movement of the shoe support, and spring means for moving the holddown heightwise of the shoe away from the insole when it is thus released.

10. In a power-operated machine, means for lasting the opposite sidesof a shoe positioned bottom upward, a shoe support, power-operated means for moving the shoe and the shoe support downward relatively to said lasting means by engagement with the bottom of the shoe, an insole holddown for further engaging the bottom of the shoe, means for moving said holddown downwardly into engagement with the shoe prior to the starting of the power operation of the machine, a device carried by the shoe support for retaining the holddown in shoeengaging position, means responsive to the downward movement of the shoe support for causing said device to release the holddown, and spring means for withdrawing the holddown from the shoe when it is .thus released.

11. In a power-operated lasting machine, means for lasting the opposite sides of a shoe positioned bottom upward, a shoe support, poweroperated means for moving the shoe and the shoe support downward relatively to said lasting means by engagement with the bottom of the shoe, an insole holddown for further engaging the bottom of the shoe, said holddown being mounted for movement by the operator widthwise of the shoe to a position over the shoe, means for moving the holddown downwardly into engagement with the shoe prior to the starting of the power operation of the machine, a device carried by the shoe support for retaining the holddown in shoe-engaging position, means responsive to the downward movement of the shoe support for causing said device to release the holddown, and spring means for retracting the holddown heightwise and widthwise of the shoe when it is thus released.

THEODORE P. COURCHENE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 463,022 Andres Nov. 10, 1891 1,010,800 Pym Dec. 5, 1911 2,026,099 Pym Dec. 31, 1935 

